Tea and Rebecca - Rivals or Lovers?
by Rouvas7x7
Summary: FEMSLASH A few weeks, after the Pharaoh left, Yugi and the gang are about to graduate high school. Tea tries to get over her feelings for the Pharaoh because she knows that his true love is Yugi. Surprisingly, she evaluates her own feelings and finds that she has harbored feelings for an unlikely person - Rebecca Hawkins. Why else did she get so angry anytime she went near Yugi?
1. Chapter 1 - Confessions

Alone in her bedroom, Tea Gardner lay, thinking about the one that she loved. She imagined his beautiful black hair with its red tint and blonde bangs, his smooth tan skin that perfectly complimented the desert environment that he traditionally called home, and his gorgeous red eyes as peculiar as they were. Atem, as his name was, no longer lived in this world for just a few weeks prior, he passed the title of "King of Games" to the one who meant the most to him, Yugi, before he departed this world forever, walking through the door to the afterlife. Recalling how much she hated to see him go, Tea rested her head on her pillow as she cuddled with her favorite stuffed animal that she had since childhood.

"Atem…"

What bothered Tea the most was not that Atem left this world, but rather that it was obvious that the one whom Atem loved was not her, but Yugi. Tea sort of knew it all along, but tried to deny it to herself. It was blatant that those two loved one another judging by the way they always acted towards each other, especially during the final duel when Yugi proved that he was the true King of Games. It was finally confirmed just the other day when Tea and Yugi were hanging out. Yugi, who seemed saddened for some reason, caught Tea's senses and she asked him what was wrong and he admitted his true feelings.

"Tea, well, this is really kind of hard to say, but lately I've been feeling sad because well, Atem's gone. What bothers meeven more so than the fact that I lost my greatest friend is that well, here's the part that's hard to admit. Well, you see, I loved him and I still do and he loved me too."

"Really, Yugi? I mean, I always kind of knew because you two made it kinda obvious, but really?"

"Yeah. I'm moving on with my life though, but I honestly don't think I'll ever love anyone else the way I love him."

Hearing Yugi confess that truth really made Tea question her feelings. Was it right for her to love the Pharaoh when she knew that his true love was Yugi and vice versa? She didn't think so. For the longest time, she could not understand just who she loved - whether it be Yugi or Atem, bu towards the end, she realized that it was Atem that she loved, not Yugi. Why then did she find herself getting so angry every time another woman ever showed affection to Yugi, especially Rebecca Hawkins - the granddaughter of Arthur Hawkins? The truth is that Tea had within herself certain that she, at first, did not want to admit. These feelings stirred within her, causing great frustration and she finally couldn't contain them anymore.

"I think I love Rebecca," whispered Tea to herself, finally confessing it. "I never really thought that I'd end up falling for a chick before, but I just love her. She's so pretty with that long, blonde hair and those green eyes. She's so intelligent too; she's a friggin college student and she's only sixteen. Then let's not forget that she's the an international pro-league duelist and she's the American champion. She's one of the few in the world that could rival Yugi. There, I said it!"

Tea slammed her pillow down against her face, covering it in shame. She loved Rebecca, who was only two years younger than her and the rest of the gang. She finally released her feelings and acknowledged that maybe it was a good thing that she confessed them to herself, no longer hiding them.  
>"You know, tomorrow, I think I'm gonna ask her out on a date. Oh, wait, this seems so rushed. Ugh, I need someone to talk to, like a therapist or something."<p>

The next morning, Tea awoke. It was the beginning of her last ever week of high school. She was soon going to graduate and move on with her life. She dreamed of going to New York and being a Broadway dancer, but she wasn't ready to leave her friends behind and after the previous night's catharsis, she felt the urge to first engage in a real relationship - something she had never done before.

"I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna ask out Rebecca Hawkins."

Tea got up from bed, dressed herself, and went out the door and on her way to school, preparing to get herself a girlfriend that afternoon.

**CHAPTER TWO COMING SOON.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Ambitions

On her way to school, Tea met up with Joey and Tristan not far from Yugi's house. Together the three of them walked and eventually found themselves at the said location. Yugi ran out the door, bidding his grandfather goodbye, and met up with his friends joyously. These days, Tea noticed something about Yugi, something very peculiar. It was as if he was still himself, but simultaneously he wasn't. She knew the truth - it was the Pharaoh, Atem. Yugi missed his one true love and even though it was supposed to be the most exciting time of his life with high school graduation rapidly approaching, he seemed as if he was caught in a limbo somewhere between joy and depression. He was trying to move on and Tea knew it, but he still could not forget Atem. Suddenly, Tea remembered…

"Yugi, a champion doesn't belong on his knees," said Atem confidently as he walked towards the sobbing Yugi

"I was so focused on playing the game that I forgot what winning would actually mean and now I've sent you away… for good," confessed Yugi as his voice finally broke.

"No, Yugi. You've opened the door for me and now afterall these thousands of years my spirit can finally be free."

"I'm gonna miss you, other me."

"You do realize that we'll never truly be apart, right? The gift of kindness that you've given me and the gift of courage that I've given you will forever bind us. And Yugi, I am no longer the 'other you,' and now there will only be one Yugi."

"Right…"

Tea recalled how she felt watching Atem leave and how obvious she made it that she was in love with him even though he never showed any possible romantic interest in her. Yugi was the one that Atem loved and it was undeniable.

"If I'm really Yugi's friend, I have to let him be the one to love the Pharaoh in the next life," thought Tea to herself as she began walking alongside her friends to school.

"Geez, I can't believe high school graduation is in a week," said Tristan.

"Yeah, we won't have to put up with this shit anymore after it," laughed Joey.

"I still don't even now what I'm gonna do next year. I sure as hell can't cut college," admitted Tristan. "How about you guys?"

"I want to go to New York to be a dancer and I'm going to work on that this summer," admitted tea.

"So, you're leaving us?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I…"

"I'm gonna try to make it in the dueling pro-leagues!" shouted Joey.

"Yugi, what do you want to do?" asked Tristan.

"The thing I do best - duel. Pegasus has already got me a place in the dueling pro-leagues and I've had so many agents calling me, begging me to hire them."

"Yugi, Is Rebecca still in town?" asked Tea.

"Yeah, she is," admitted Yugi.

"Hey when is senior prom again?" asked Tristan as he interrupted Yugi.

"It's this Friday night," answered Yugi. "Monday is an early dismissal and then we're finished with high school. The official graduation ceremony is next Friday though. So, it's about a week and a had from today."

"Prom?" thought Tea to herself. She had almost forgotten about it. It was the night that every girl dreamed of since youth, the night when they would take the one they love on a night that they would forever remember. "This is the perfect opportunity to ask out Rebecca…"

"Do any of you guys know who you're asking?" asked Tristan.

"I'm not going," said Yugi.

"Why, Yugi?" asked Tristan.

"It's just that, well, I'm not interested in anyone. The one that I love is… out of reach."

Yugi noticed the look on Joey's face. His best friend knew exactly who he was talking about and was wise enough to understand that it was best not to continue dwelling on the subject.

"Who, Yugi?" asked Trsitan as Joey elbowed him abruptly and gave him a glare.

"Oh," said Tristan, suddenly silencing himself. "How about you, Tea?"

"Well, honestly, I have someone in mind, but I don't wanna talk about it yet just in case I get rejected and it blows up in my face. It's someone you guys would never expect."

"I already know who I'm going to as," began Tristan. "It's someone you guys would never expect either. I think they'll be a really great date and steal the show when we arrive at that prom."

The other three all rolled their eyes, thinking of Tristan's frequent and not-so-mysterious trips to Duke Devlin's dice shop every other evening.

The school day went by rather quickly and Tea knew that the time to act was near. She was going to ask Rebecca to hang out and once she got to better know her, she would pop the question.

"Yugi, do you have Rebeccca's cell number?"

"I do, here I'll write it down for you," said Yugi before he slipped Tea the number.

"Are you two hanging out this afternoon or something?"

"Yeah, I wanted to get to know her and I was hoping that maybe she could help me find a dancing deal in New York with her being from there and all."

"Alright, have fun with that," Yugi bid farewell as he went off with Joey to Burger World. Tea, who made it clear that she could not go with them, took out her phone and dialed the number, knowing exactly what she was going to say. She took a deep breath and waited for her crush to answer.


	3. Chapter 3 - Encounter

The phone rang and Tea tried her best to control her anxiety, breathing deeply and continuously muttering to herself that all will be fine. Finally, the ringing ceased and she heard the sweet voice of the girl she longed for.

"Hello?"

"Um, Rebecca, it's Tea. I heard you're in town and I thought maybe you'd like to hang out sometime. You know, like before you go back to America or whatever."

"Well, right now I'm busy with some college-related things, but I could maybe in about three hours if you're willing to then."

"Sure, that'd be great. Where do you want to meet up at?"

"I don't know. I guess anywhere's fine."

"How about the park?"

"Sure. Is it gonna be just the two of us or is Yugi gonna be there too?"

"It'll be just the two of us. Yugi's busy doing things with Joey this afternoon."

"Oh," said Rebecca before becoming silent for a few seconds. "Well, I guess we can still do this."

"Yeah, why not?"

"Alright, I'll see you at the park at about five-thirty, okay?"

"Sounds good."

Once the phone call ended, Tea wanted to bang her head against a wall. It was casual yet somewhat awkward at the same time. She felt relieved that she was successful in getting Rebecca to hang out with her, but in turn, she had to deal with the fact that in order to win her affection, much was yet to be accomplished.

"Great, so now I've gotta find a way to get her to like me, assuming she's bisexual! Ah, I have a migraine!"

In her bedroom, Tea lay on her bed trying to figure out what to say to Rebecca when the time came. Before she knew it, two hours passed and she stood at her dresser, trying to pick out clothes that were stylish yet not to over-the-top. A pair of khaki pants and… a black belly-button shirt? No, the shirt was too revealing for a first date. Instead, a black tank top would do. It was spring after all, so there was no need to dress too warmly.

"Should I apply makeup? Nah, it's just a first date and I don't wanna be too extreme about it all."

When Tea finished preparing her fashion, she glanced at herself in the mirror, giving herself a last minute check-up before she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

She walked to the park, trying not to hurry too much for she still had a bit of time before she met up with her crush. Standing there, she wondered what Rebecca would be dressed like. Imagining her dressed in her best clothing, she grew mesmerized at the thought of her beautiful blonde hair in the cool spring breeze as sunlight illuminated her splendid green eyes and…

"Since when did I become so cliché!" thought Tea to herself, smacking her forehead.

For another twenty minutes or so, she sat upon a park bench over looking a pond, constantly looking over her shoulder to see if her crush had arrived. With only ten minutes left until the set time, she began breathing deeply, attempting to calm herself from the understandable paranoia she was experiencing over the situation. One final time, she glanced behind her to see the beautiful young dueling prodigy gracefully approaching her.

"I can do this," thought Tea to herself.

Rebecca looked so awesome. She had on a white boots and a violet skirt not quite as short as the ones Tea usually wore, but regardless was conservative by no means. Her torso had on a black muscle shirt which was covered by an unbuttoned white spring jacket overtop it. She looked dazzling.

:Hi, Tea. What's up?" asked the sixteen-year-old American champion of Duel Monsters.

"Rebecca, it's so nice to see you again! I wanted to see you again before you went back to your home country," admitted Tea, concealing her more-than-friendly feelings over the young woman.

"I found out that my stay is going to be longer than I expected, so I'll hanging around Domino, kicking some more duelist butt around this city," smiled Rebecca confidently.

"Wow, that sounds awesome. I never was too good at dueling and you're probably one of the only ones in the world who can stand up to Yugi. Hell, I bet you could even beat Joey."

Trying to seem modest, Rebecca silently grinned over being told she could beat Joey.

"Well, I know you guys are graduating high school soon and I wanted to stick around to see it. I'm really excited for all of you," admitted Rebecca honestly.

"Yeah, it's a bit overwhelming, but it's great. Didn't you graduate high school like a year ago?"

"Yeah, I kinda aced it all," laughed Rebecca, trying not to brag. "I'm in college right now and I'm going for a double major in Duel Monsters and physics."

"Wow, that must be hard," said Tea.

"It is, but I figured that you only live once."

Rebecca sat next to Tea upon the park bench and together, they began discussing their current lives. Tea was still trying to understand how to bring up Yugi to see whether Rebecca had any clue over Yugi's true love. It definitely wasn't an easy topic to mention, but if she wanted to get anywhere in this relationship, she knew that she needed Rebecca to understand Yugi's feelings for Atem.


End file.
